Schlagwort-Archive: The Yardbirds

On the 16th February 1972, Led Zeppelin played their very first show in Australia. The Australianasian tour (16th – 29th February through Australia and New Zealand) kicked off in Perth at the Subiaco Oval. The local police battled with over 500 fans, who tried to get into the concert. And over 4,000 people were waiting outside with no tickets, hoping to get into the venue in some way.

The setlist featured songs like „Immigrant Song“, „Heartbreaker“, „Black Dog“, „Since I’ve been loving you“, „Stairway to Heaven“, „Going to California“, „That’s the Way, „Tangerine“, „Dazed and Confused“, „What is and what should never be“ and „Whole Lotta Love“.

After this six date tour through Australia and New Zealand, Led Zeppelin never toured again on this side of the world.

Happy birthday to guitarist Jimmy Page, who was born on the 9th January 1944 in Heston, London (UK)! Before he founded the legendary Hardrock band Led Zeppelin, Jimmy worked as a session musician in the sixties in London. From 1966 until 1968 Page became a member of The Yardbirds. Shortly after the band break-up he founded with John Paul Jones, John Bonham and Robert Plant one of the most successful bands in rock history: Led Zeppelin.

On the 10th December 2007, the surviving members of Led Zeppelin feat. John Bonham’s son Jason Bonham on drums, played an unique concert at the O2 Arena in London. This charity event was also later available on CD and DVD under the name „Celebration Day„.

Happy birthday to Mr. John Baldwin, better known as John Paul Jones, who was born on the 3rd January 1946 in Sidcup, Kent (UK). John is a multi instrumentalist and became famous as the bassist and keybord player for Led Zeppelin. Working as a session player, he crossed the paths with guitarist Jimmy Page (who was playing in The Yardbirds at that time) very often. In 1968, Page was planning to found a new band. After recruiting singer Robert Plant and drummer John Bonham, also John Paul Jones joined this group which was called firstly „The New Yardbirds“. After a mini tour through Scandinavia, the band was baptised Led Zeppelin.

On the 9th December 1966 the Cream debut „Fresh Cream“ was released. It was not only the first LP for the British supergroup feat. Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker – this LP marked also the first release for the new independent label Reaction Records, which was run by procuder Robert Stigwood. On the same day the sinlge „I feel free“ hit also the stores. This song is not featured on the UK edition of the LP, but it has been put on the US release (instead of the Willie Dixon cover „Spoonful„), which was first available in January 1967. The recording sessions for „Fresh Cream“ took place at the Rayrik and Ryemuse Studios in London from July until October 1966. The album reached No. 6 on the UK and No. 39 on the US chart.

On the 8th November 1971 one of the most legendary LPs in Rock history was released: The fourth studio album by Led Zeppelin, simply titled „IV„, hit the stores. It’s also called „Four Symbols„, „The Fourth Album“ or „Led Zeppelin IV“. Although nothing is printed on the cover, neither title nor band name and no picture of the group or members is featured on the artwork, „Led Zeppelin IV“ has been sold over 37 million copies worldwide and with a 23-times platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America, it’s after Michael Jackson’s „Thriller“ the second-best-selling album in the USA ever.

Back in 1980 another great musician passed away far too early: Led Zeppelin drummer John „Bonzo“ Bonham died after a heavy drinking session at the age of 32. The British musician is still considered as one of the best drummers in Rock history.

John Henry Bonham was born on the 31st May 1948 in the Redditch, Worcestershire, UK. It was obvious that Bonham should become an outstanding drummer: At the age of five he built his own drum kit of containers, cans and tins. Ten years later he get his first proper drum kit. Shortly after that the drummer joined in 1964 his first group called „Terry Webb and the Spiders“. In 1966 Bonham was a member of „A Way Of Life“ and his next stop was at the Blues band „Crawling King Snakes“, where he met Robert Plant for the first time. The singer formed afterwards his group Band Of Joy with Bonham on the drums again. Shortly after that this band called it a day.

In 1968 Jimmy Page was searching for a new line up after the break-up of The Yardbirds. After recruiting Robert Plant also John Bonham became a member of the new band. Due to contract issues it was called firstly The New Yardbirds. Then John Paul Jones completed the line up and after a mini tour in Scandinavia the band changed the name into Led Zeppelin.